Supporting and retaining means for rails



Dec. 13, 1932'. DZYOUNG 1,890,636

SUPPORTING AND RETAINING MEANS FOR RAILS Filed Dev. 24. 1931 IN VEN TOR.- WZesJDaang,

W TNESSES:

' 4. The tie plate 4 is in turn supported upon thespri'ng key 13 nearits i Patented Dec. 13, 1932 r I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES D. YOUNG, OF HAVERFORD, PENNSYLVANIA SUPPORTING AND RETAINING MEANS FOR RAILS Application filed December 24, 1931. Serial No. 583,015.

This invention relates to supporting and a tie 5 to which it is secured by means of retaining means for rails, and more particuscrew spikes 6, though other means may obvilarly to spring fasteners or keys for retainously be employed for affixing the tieplate to ing rails upon underlying tie plates, though the tie. As shown at the left hand side of in using the term tie plate herein, I mean the figures of the drawing, the tie plate 4 is 5 to include any form of plate, tie or foundaformed with an integral projection 7 which tion, upon which the base of a rail is adapted in its preferred form is in the shape of a to be supported. hook and which projects above the rail base In my pending application for U. S. Let- 2 clear of its top surface, the clearance being 10 ters Patent, Serial N 0. 569,357, filed October such as to permit limited vertical movement 59 17,1931, I have referred to the advantages of of the rail base with respect to the tie plate the use of rail retaining means which are 4. As shown in Fig. I, the hook shaped propositioned at a predetermined clearance j ection 7 merges with the longitudinal rib above the top surface of a rail flange to per- 3 at that side of the tie plate to afford a seatmit the rail to move with relation to the tie ing abutment for the corresponding edge of plate within certain desired limits, while prethe rail base.

venting excessive movement in such direc- At the other side of the tie plate there is tion. shown a fulcrum member 8, which in the in- The principal object of the present invenstant example constitutes a separate attach- 20 tion is to provide in combination with a tie ment rather than an integral part of the tie plate and rail retaining means of this charplate, the fulcrum member being in the form acter, wherein the rail is free to move with of a stirrup. The downturned ends 9 of the relation to the tie plate within certain limits stirrup 8 are passed through vertical slotslO and without causing the ties to be loosened in the tie plate and bent over to lie in a horifrom the underlying ballast, additional Zontal plane, being accommodated within a means, preferably in the form of a relatively recess 11 of corresponding size at the bottom weak spring key, for engaging the top surof the tie plate. At the underside of the cenface of the rail with sufficient pressure to pretral portion of the fulcrum member 8, a vent objectionable noise or chatter incident to smoothly curved bearing surface 12 is prothe passage of heavy loads, and also to serve vided for engagement with a spring key as an anti-creeper by opposing movement of which is comprehensively designated at 13. the rails in the direction of their length. Near the vertical slots 10 the tie plate is Other objects and advantages characterformed with a boss 14 having a comparatively izing my present invention will become more sharp edge 15. fully apparent from the description herein- The spring key 13 in the present example after of one example or form which the inis made from flat stock and bent to form a vention may take, having reference to the acspring loop 16. One end 17 of the spring key companying drawing, whereof: 13 is-sharply bent downward and adapted Fig. I represents a plan view, with the rall for engagement with the inner edge '15 of the shown in section, of a rail, tie plate and rail tie plate boss 14. The other end 18 of the retaining device assembled according to the spring key 13 projects laterally above the rail practice of my invention; and, base 2 at a distance therefrom substantially Fig. II represents a cross-section of the corresponding to the clearance between the same, taken as indicated by the lines II-II hook-shaped projection 7 and the rail base at 45 of Fig. I. the other side of the rail. Intermediate the In the drawing a rail of standard form is ends 17 and 18 of the spring key there isa designated at 1, and its base is designated at 2. smoothly curved portion 19 which is adapted The rail base is seated between upstanding to engage beneath the curved surfaces 12 at longitudinal ribs 3 on an underlying tie plate the underside of the stirrup 8. Welded to nner end thereis an additional spring key which is curved ing means on the tie plate at the other side of and when the key 18 in its normal position the rail comprising a relatively strong spring is so disposed as to bear upon the top surfaces key projecting above the rail base clear of its of the rail base with pressure engagement. top surface, and a relatively weak spring key Whereas the spring key 13 is relatively thick engaging the top surface of the rail base. and strong, the spring key 20 is relatively 2. In co1nbination,a rail,atie plate having thin and weak. a seat portion for the base of the rail and a The manner of assembling the spring key projection at one side of the rail extending 13 and the relatively weak spring key 20 assoover the rail base to limit its vertical moveciated therewith is as follows. The ends 17 ment with respect to the tie plate, and reand 18 of the spring key 13 are inserted betaining means caught on said tie plate at tween the stirrup 8 and the boss 1 1 of the tie the other side of the rail comprising a relaplate 1 by pinching the ends together, and the tively strong spring key projecting above the key is thereafter driven by delivering a blow rail base With clearance from its top surface, upon the back Of the spring 1001) 16 to cause and a, relatively Weak spring key engaging key 130 IIIOVG inward t0 the point where the top urface of the rail base, its en 17 Catches Over h g 15 0f e i 3. In combination, a rail, a tie plate having plate b S W n S0 driven, the spring a. hook-shaped projection at one side of the loop 16 will expand to cause the key to b rail extending over the rail base to limit its Si t fil in its pr e n Pr Pe P vertical movement with respect to the tie '85 and the fiat end 18 will project ov r h fe plate, and retaining means caught on said bas P C g g the y 13 {mm the tle tie plate at the other side of the rail comprispl t 1t 1 y necessary to mp the ing a relatively strong spring key having the pri g 0 1 as y a Wedge PP Q benffiath end thereof projecting above the rail base the l p, a d then to pp y a force m a dlrec' with predetermined clearance from its top tion transverse to the rail to cause the key f d a relatively weak spring key to m dengaging the top surface of the rail base.

Wh h Parts are assembled, as shown In In testimony whereof, I have hereunto h d g, the Pressure exerted y the signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsyltiv y Weak Sprlhg y 20 l Such to Vania, this 18th day of December, 1931. offer considerable resistance against creeping V 7 CHARLES D YOUNG or movement of the rail in the direction of its length. Moreover, the spring key 20 by offering resistance to vertical movement of the rail material reduces the chatter or noise which is characteristic of rails which are free to move up and down on their tie plates.

Though eXerting sufiicient pressure to accomplish the above described functions, the

' spring key 20 is nevertheless sufliciently resilient to permit vertical movement of the rail with relation to the tie plate where the forces acting upon the rail might otherwise cause the ties to be loosened from the underlying ballast. It is to be understood, of course, that along the length of one rail a large number of spring keys are utilized, and though reference is made herein solely to the action which takes place at one tie plate, the 1 number of spring keys associated with one rail is such that their cumulative efiect produces the desired pressure upon that rail.

-While I have described a particular type of tie plate and particular types of retaining members associated therewith, it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form of these elements without departing from the spirit of'my invention as defined in the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1 In combination, a rail, a tie plate having a projection at one side of the rail extending over the rail base to limit its vertical movement with respect to the tie plate, and retain- 

